Off-duty Philadelphia cop shoots man over dog poop dispute

An off-duty Philadelphia police officer reports that late Saturday morning, the victim was walking his dog when it stopped to defecate on the off-duty officer’s yard. Allegedly, the officer began yelling at the victim, demanding he remove the feces from the yard immediately.

The conversation escalated into an argument, and eventually the victim left. He returned, however, a short time later without his dog, and began arguing with the off-duty officer again.

A fight ensued, during which the officer pulled out his weapon and fired backwards at the victim, who was behind the officer at the time and was struck in the leg.

The victim was carted off to a nearby hospital, where he was treated for his injuries and released. The off-duty officer was also treated for facial cuts and bruises.

The victim has been charged with one count of aggravated assault.

The Internal Affairs division of the Philadelphia Police Department is investigating the incident, as is the District Attorney’s Office. The officer has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.

About the Author

Scott Eric Kaufman is the proprietor of the AV Club's Internet Film School and, in addition to Raw Story, also writes for Lawyers, Guns & Money. He earned a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of California, Irvine in 2008.